Sources told ESPN.com on Wednesday that Evans, frustrated by the state of negotiations with the Sacramento Kings as a restricted free agent, is determined to leave the organization and plans to sign an offer sheet with the New Orleans Pelicans on the first allowable day….

Yet, one source close to the situation said Wednesday that Evans feels disrespected that new Kings owner Vivek Ranadive had yet to make any formal offer for him.

“They are stalling and he feels he has no choice,” the source said. “If they had shown loyalty to him earlier, he probably would have stayed there. He wasn’t trying to leave, but now he feels as though he has to.”

That sounds like a negotiation tactic, to me.

It doesn’t really matter what Evans wants, the Kings can match the offer and he has to play there. The two sides could work out a sign-and-trade, but there has been no talk of that so far.

This puts the Pelicans in the exact opposite position they were with Eric Gordon. Two summers ago it was Gordon — New Orleans’ key acquisition in the Chris Paul trade — who signed an offer sheet with the Suns and said his heart was in Phoenix now. New Orleans matched the offer, but Gordon was injured, hasn’t played all that well, and the fans there have never really forgiven him for that incident.

The shoe is now on the other webbed Pelican foot, now.

But it’s up to the Kings. They have until the 10th to make an offer to Evans and they may well still do that, then all will be good (especially Evans’ bank account).

The more you know!!! And star wipe and we are out. End of evens enter Ben. Kings really need a 4 and a back up 5. Why in the second round they passed on Jeff Withy for a back up. Beats the hell out of me. Thanks for shopping

how is the kings withdrawing an offer bad form? the league would be allot better off if more teams act this way. here’s our offer you have 24 hrs. to take it or it’s gone end of negotiations. how hard could it be for a guy to make up his mind to take a deal nobody else will off him? I am sick of these divas acting like they were disrespected somehow when a owner has the balls not to be held hostage. look they are going to suck whether he signed it or not so what’s the problem? if more teams did this we would be spared the dramas like the howard one going on now.

Evans/Kings and Howard/Lakers (or whoever he picks) aren’t really comparable situations. The Kings’ mistake was not waiting to see what other teams were willing to offer Evans before they threw out that max deal. Even though the money might have ended up being the same as now, the Kings put themselves in a bad spot by going all-in before they had to.

i know it’s business, but why would a team want a player who will be unhappy playing on their team? seems to me like it would destroy and distract the rest of the guys/team cohesion. a team has to be of one mind, going in the same direction…buying in to that TEAMs’ concept and philosophy (chemistry). besides, the kings are still apparently screwed up, even with the new ownership. bad business move to ignore one of your best players. real tacky, kings!